Stevenage have completed the signing of forward Tugra Turhan on a season-long loan from Istanbul Basaksehir. The 19-year-old Swiss-born attacker joins as the club looks to add firepower to a squad sitting 15th in League One with six points from five games.
Turhan arrives from the Turkish Süper Lig club, having moved to Istanbul Basaksehir from Swiss top-flight side Grasshopper Club Zürich last year. The BBC reported the transfer this week. He has made eight senior career appearances and scored one goal during the 2024-25 campaign for Grasshopper. At international level, Turhan has represented both Switzerland and Turkey at various youth levels.
Turhan's arrival provides a fresh option in the forward areas for manager Steve Evans. Stevenage's current standings show a record of one win, three draws, and one loss from their opening five fixtures. The team has scored nine goals while conceding six, resulting in a positive goal difference of three. Turhan's versatility and youth offer a different profile to the existing attacking players listed on the club's squad page.
His experience in the Swiss Super League and with a major Turkish club suggests a player accustomed to a professional environment, albeit with limited senior minutes so far. The loan move is clearly designed to give him regular first-team football in a competitive league.
The signing comes with Stevenage positioned in 15th place in the League One table. They are six points behind early leaders Sheffield Wednesday. Their recent form reads WDDLD. The club's next match is a significant home fixture against Luton Town on September 10th. Luton currently sit 7th, making it a tough test for Evans's side.
Adding a new attacker could be key to turning some of those draws into wins. The immediate focus will be integrating Turhan quickly ahead of the Luton clash and the subsequent run of games detailed in the full fixtures list.
Born in Switzerland, Turhan's dual heritage has seen him play for both Swiss and Turkish national youth teams. His senior career began at Grasshopper, where he made his breakthrough before the transfer to Istanbul Basaksehir. The season-long loan to Stevenage represents his first experience of English football.
At 19, he is seen as a prospect with development potential, and League One provides a physical and demanding arena to accelerate that growth. His goal for Grasshopper demonstrates he can find the net, and Stevenage will hope he can contribute to their offensive output as they aim to improve on their mid-table start.
The deal is now official, and Tugra Turhan is available for selection for Stevenage's home match against Luton Town on September 10th.
